The exhibition “Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo” at the Royal Academy of Arts highlights Victor Hugo’s lesser-known talent as an illustrator. Open until 29 June, it features around 70 works, revealing his artistic evolution and connection to his literary themes during his exile.
Victor Hugo, renowned for masterpieces like “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” and “Les Miserables”, is now being celebrated for his drawing skills in a new London exhibition. “Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo” debuted at the Royal Academy of Arts and showcases Hugo’s illustrative passion 140 years posthumously. The exhibit highlights his secretive refuge in art, with notes indicating drawing was a private escape for the 19th-century Romantic author and politician.
Hugo’s drawings include ink and wash interpretations of imaginary castles and dramatic seascapes, blending poetic vision with artistry. His influence reached various artists, inspiring Romantic and Symbolist poets, with Vincent van Gogh praising them as “astonishing things”. Although he initially shared his drawings only with close friends, he ensured their preservation through donation to France’s national library.
Featuring about 70 pieces, the exhibition connects Hugo’s artistic and literary pursuits, focusing on works largely created between 1850 and 1870 during his exile in Guernsey. During this period, he completed significant literature such as “Les Chatiments” and “Les Miserables”, marking a significant evolution in his artistic style from caricatures to dramatic landscapes and abstraction.
While some drawings reflect stark political themes, like “Ecce Lex” (Behold the law), others explore enigmatic subjects, such as the giant anthropomorphic toadstool in “Mushroom”. The exhibition will be open until 29 June, providing a rare opportunity to explore Hugo’s lesser-known artistic talent alongside his literary legacy.
The London exhibition reveals Victor Hugo’s underappreciated talent as an illustrator, showcasing about 70 of his lesser-known works. It highlights the connection between his political beliefs and artistic explorations during his exile, thus enriching our understanding of the multifaceted artist behind the celebrated author’s face. Visitors can enjoy this rare display until 29 June.
Original Source: www.elpasoinc.com